Man who molested 3 young girls, including niece, given 8 years' jail and 24 strokes

One of the victim’s was the man’s biological niece, whom he abused while her parents were in another room. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

Between late 2014 and early 2017, a paedophile molested three young girls aged between four and nine.

One of the victims was the man’s biological niece, whom he abused while her parents were in another room. He also made a video recording of the act.

The father of two boys even groped his neighbour, who was aged around four to five at the time, while she was playing a game on a tablet with one of his sons.

At the State Courts on Tuesday (20 November), the 45-year-old man was jailed eight years and sentenced to 24 strokes of the cane. He cannot be named to protect the identities of his victims.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to six charges of aggravated outrage of modesty. Another 15 counts of the same, along with two charges of possession of obscene films, were taken into consideration for his sentencing.

A third victim, who is believed to have been aged between six to eight years old, has yet to be identified. While the man had admitted to making video recordings of himself abusing the victim, he has refused to provide any information that might lead to her identification.

Groped niece while her parents were around

According to court documents, the man’s modus operandi would be to distract his victims with games on mobile devices or drawings before molesting them.

The man and his family live with his parents, and his sister’s family would visit them once or twice a month on weekends. During these visits the man’s niece would play with his two sons.

Some between August 2014 and August 2016, during one of these visits, the man took his niece – who was then aged around seven to eight – into his bedroom. He then gave a pen and some paper to draw on.

As his niece lay on his bed writing and drawing, the man molested her. He also made a video recording of the act.

On another visit by the victim’s family during the same period, the man again took her to his bedroom and offered her a game to play on his mobile phone. He then groped her while she was distracted – and again videoed the act.

The man also recorded himself molesting an unidentified girl. In one video, taken sometime between August 2014 and August 2016, he did so while she was playing a game on his mobile phone and he was talking to her about the game.

Molested neighbour in son’s presence

The man began molesting his neighbour in June 2016. On one occasion, between June and December that year, the girl visited the man’s home to play with his elder son. Both children were aged around four to five at the time.

While the two children were engrossed playing a game on the man’s tablet, the man molested the girl.

On New Year’s Day last year, the girl visited the man’s home again to play “Minecraft” with his son on the tablet. As she lay on the man’s bed and watching the man’s son play the game, the man molested her again.

Emboldened by the fact that she did not show any signs of resistance, the man then lowered his pants and pulled the victim’s shorts down. He then continued to abuse her.

Later at home, the girl complained to her mother that she was experiencing pain when she urinated. She also demonstrated to her mother how the man had molested her.

The victim’s parents took her to a hospital for a medical examination, after which a police report was made. Officers arrested the man at his home the next day.

Incriminating videos found

A forensic examination of a microSD card found in his home uncovered nine deleted videos, which showed the man assaulting his niece and the third unidentified victim.

One recording involved both girls, who were lying on his mother’s bed and playing games on mobile devices. In the video, the man can be heard talking to both girls while repeatedly molesting the unidentified girl.

Describing the man’s actions as the “heinous exploitation of a vulnerable victim”, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicholas Lai asked for four years’ jail along with six strokes of the cane for each of the six proceeded charges.

He pointed out that the man had abused his position of trust, and had shown a high degree of premeditation and planning.

The man has been diagnosed by a government psychiatrist to have paedophilia disorder and poses a high risk of reoffending.

The maximum punishment for a charge of using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a person younger than 14 is up to five years’ jail along with a fine and caning.